Once again needing to prove the obvious in a toxic politically correct world, research proves we are NOT all the same. According to new research discussed in the journal GENETICS, a publication of the Genetics Society of America, “there is a huge amount of diversity in southern Africa populations. These groups speak differently, look distinct, and have divergent genetic histories. They are NOT homogeneous people, and the historic and prehistoric factors that led to their divergence are still being explored.” despite political agendas of globalisation.

Brenna Henn, of Stony Brook University in New York, has been studying southern african population genetics for over a decade. She notes that there is a tendency to lump all indigenous southern africans into a single group – often called “Bushmen” – but in fact, the KhoeSan includes many distinct populations. She and her team set out to explore genetic diversity in the area and to better understand the differences between these KhoeSan groups.

Henn points out that there are even more KhoeSan populations that they were not able to sample as sampling in the area is a significant challenge for a number of reasons, including the complex politics of the region in the sensitive post-Apartheid era. Most populations in South Africa and Zimbabwe are no longer encouraged, or even officially acknowledged or allowed to identify as KhoeSan and have been demographically quietly mixed into other populations. Still, their findings add to the body of knowledge surrounding the history of southern African populations – while also complicating them…

By investigating the ancestries of twenty-two KhoeSan groups, including new samples from the Nama and the ≠Khomani, researchers conclude that the genetic clustering of southern African populations is closely tied to the ecogeography of the Kalahari Desert region.

The name KhoeSan refers to several indigenous populations in southern Africa; KhoeSan people speak “click” languages and include both hunter-gatherer groups and pastoralists. They are genetically distinct and strikingly isolated from all other African populations, suggesting they were among the first groups to diverge from the ancestors of all humans. Much scientific interest has focused on the KhoeSan as researchers try to reconstruct this early divergence; however, little genetic material was collected until the past decade. Geography and ecology are key factors that have influenced the genetic makeup of human groups in southern Africa.

A San men from the Kalahari area of central Namibia, explains the uses they give to a grass, in their San language characterized by the use of click consonants.

“For the last twenty years or so, there has been a lot of interest in understanding how genetic patterns are determined by geography in addition to language,” says Henn. The genetic differences between human populations are strongly correlated with their linguistic histories, and both of these factors are also linked with geography. Henn argues that ecology and geography together are likely a better explanation for the genetic differentiation between groups than either linguistic differences or method of subsistence (i.e. hunting/gathering or farming). However, much of the research on southern African populations had previously focused on linguistics and subsistence, with little attention paid to ecogeography.

Henn and her colleagues analyzed genetic information from the KhoeSan. They collected genome-wide data from three south African populations: the Nama, the ≠Khomani San, and the South African Coloured (SAC) group. Their analysis also included samples from 19 other southern African populations. It quickly became apparent that the geography of the Kalahari Desert was closely tied to the population structure that they uncovered. The outer rim of the Kalahari Desert presented a barrier to genetic mixing, while populations that live within the Kalahari basin mixed more freely.

Their findings suggest a more complex history for the KhoeSan populations than originally predicted. Previous work argued for a northern vs. southern divergence pattern among the human groups, but this new work identifies five primary ancestries in the region, which points to a geographically complex set of migration events responsible for the heterogeneity observed in the region.

The challenge continues to fascinate Henn and her colleagues. She established a field site in 2005 and has maintained and expanded it over the years as she continues to research ancestry in the KhoeSan. She emphasizes that it is extremely important for investigators doing research in developing countries to work closely with local collaborators as they try to understand the genetic diversity of the region.

“The first author on this paper, Caitlin Uren, is a South African student. I’m very proud of our collaboration and her excellent work,” says Henn.

Much work remains to be done in understanding and uncovering the factors that contributed to the formation of southern African population structure.

When asked a year ago if he supports Cape Independence, Steve said he wants to save the whole country. Now, on the back of BRexit, the singer has casually called for the secession of the Western Cape from the rest of SA. Has the situation gotten so bad or has he woken up?

Afrikaner rights activist Steve Hofmeyr is now suggesting a sort of Brexit of his own, and even casually tweeted that a Wexit, the exit of the Western Cape from South Africa, might be possible.

Hofmeyr tweeted: “Watch for Bexit contagion. Fexit, Nexit, Grexit, Swexit, Itexit and even Gexit. And Wexit (Western Cape!)”. To one of his followers, ulv løgner @ Sinestra_Malum, who responded “@ steve_hofmeyr if Wexit happens I’m there tomorrow.” Hofmeyr added: “Brexit did it. Brits leads the way to self-determination.”

He is far from the first people to call for the secession of the province.

Last year a new group called Cape Federal Alliance was formed calling for a Federal Cape for all its people and to be a homeland for the Afrikaans language. They have gone for the Federal staus as a first step because Independence is illegal in SA.

The constitutional law scholar Pierre de Vos, has said that the no one could secede without a revolution. As the constitution has created a unitary state, he has said that threatening the unity of the country would be treason.

There are some Khoi San liberation groups also calling for independent homelands in the Cape, but the ANC regime gives them even less attention than they do the whites or coloureds.

The Cape Party, a political party that sought to use all constitutional and legal means to bring about independence for the Western Cape, Northern Cape (excluding two districts), six municipalities in the Eastern Cape, and one municipality in the Free State grew out of a Facebook group in 2007 and is led by Jack Miller. In 2009, it had a membership of about 1000 people, according to their Wikipedia entry.

It was on the provincial ballot of the Western Cape in the South African general elections of 2009, where it received 2,552 votes, or 0.13% of the vote. The party complained bitterly that their posters were removed from poles by other parties. They are on the ballot again for local elections.

The party cites various legal provisions and frameworks to support its position that the “Cape Nation” has a right to self-government. These include: the South African constitution, which guarantees the right to self-determination of any community sharing a common cultural and language heritage; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that all people have the right to self-determination and to pursue economic, social and cultural development, and that they may freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice.

The covenant also declares that states party to it must promote the realisation of those rights article 1 of the United Nations Charter, various UN General Assembly resolutions dealing with self-determination, sovereignty and independence; chapter 1, article 20 of the Organization of African Unity’s African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which states that all people have an inalienable right to self-determination, and declares that oppressed people have the right to free themselves from domination by any means recognised by the international community. (The Cape Party refers to this document as “African Union: Human and Peoples’ Rights”.)

The Cape Party has said that it will seek to build consensus with the dominant political parties in the Western Cape, such as the Democratic Alliance.

The Cape Party which is contesting local elections on certain wards in the Cape has issued a 20 point agenda as a election manifesto:
1. To ensure that every Councillor has a line open & available for all Rate Payers, to pro-actively reach out to, connect with, engage and communicate with ward constituents on a continues basis.

2. To inform all constituents of council matters effectively, efficiently and regularly, to be in touch with the needs of residents and to make appropriate decisions based on the real needs of the people we serve.

3. To ensure that all constituents can access government services and that they get advice and assistance with problems, to resolve all issues without any delay and to answer all correspondence.

4. To make decisions on behalf all constituents in an inclusive, fair, fearless, transparent, accountable, competent, urgent and principled manner, to foster and promote peace, prosperity, law and order in the community through the imaginative use of all available resources.

5. Never to use, take or benefit from any municipal property or assets or tenders to which it does not have a right to and to guard against any other official that may want to do so.

6. To aggressively root out all forms of corruption, incompetence and non-performance without fear or favour.

7. To declare all Local Government services to be Essential Services & criminalise Industrial action, never to re-employ employees of other Local Governments fired for incompetency or unacceptable behaviour.

8. To ensure that all municipal employees are properly qualified, competent and are performing in terms of their employment contracts and that they at all times serve the public with respect, urgency and finality.

9. To give employment preference to local, properly qualified residents based on a non-racial merit system.

10. To create ward Committees of Rate Payers to ensure quality budget expenditure, to ring-fence rates & services income for use in the area it came from and to only cross-subsidise areas under funded, by open ballot and mandate from area cross-subsidising, once surpluses are declared.

11. To affect efficient and fair debt collection and to transfer electricity and water to the community without adding additional fees.

12. To provide all pensioners with special concessions and indemnities on all municipality rates, taxes and services to protect and cherish them at all times.

13. To make use of, protect and support local business based on their quality of service and affordability. Tenders will be awarded in an open non-racial adjudication system.

14. International investors will be pursued in an aggressive manner.

15. To take effective and appropriate steps to prevent fruitless and wasteful expenditure to institute criminal and/or disciplinary steps against any official in the service of the municipality who makes or permits fruitless and wasteful expenditure and to recover from that person liable the wasted expenditure.

235. The right of the South African people as a whole to self-determination, as manifested in this Constitution, does not preclude, within the framework of this right, recognition of the notion of the right of self-determination of any community sharing a common cultural and language heritage, within a territorial entity in the Republic or in any other way, determined by national legislation.

FURTHERMORE International law abandons in favour of Secession to self-determination.

There is no prohibition on Secession in South African law neither is there any prohibition on Secession in terms of International law.

In fact there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Secession is legal here in South-Africa and internationally.

State sovereignty and the Constitutional right of Secession had flourished internationally for hundreds of years.

THERE IS NO QUESTION OF SECESSION BEING POSSIBLE FOR THE CAPE REPUBLIC.

Secession is not only possible, but necessary and its achievement is URGENTLY required before the ANC, EFF and the new DA destroys the Cape along with the rest of South Africa.

THERE IS CURRENTLY HUNDREDS OF ACTIVE SECESSION SEPARATIST MOVEMENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Here are a few well known examples of countries that are in the process of Secession from their current government;

HERE ARE A FEW WELL KNOWN EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE FLOURISHED AFTER SECESSION FROM THEIR PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT;

Australia from United Kingdom
Austria successfully seceded from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945.
Belgian from the Netherlands
Brazil from Portugal
United States from United Kingdom
Ireland declared independence from United Kingdom in 1916
Eleven former Republics of the Soviet Union are now independent countries.
Texas seceded from Mexico in 1836
Pakistan seceded from India
Finland successfully and peacefully seceded from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1917

Singapore gained independence as the Republic of Singapore (remaining within the Commonwealth of Nations) on 9 August 1965
Singapore for example has since Secession became a global commerce, finance and transport hub Singapore has significant influence on global affairs relative to its size, it is ranked as Asia’s most influential city and 4th in the world by Forbes.

Facts are that the ANC and EFF with their policies on racism and communism are well on their way to destroying South- Africa and we as normal sane, reasonable, constructive and thinking people cannot reconcile with this.

Facts are that the DA is so blinded in its vain attempt to grip power that it has also became a cheap party built on racism that is willing to do anything for control and it no longer represents the people of the Cape. We as normal sane and reasonable, constructive and thinking people cannot reconcile with this.

Facts are that we are doomed with the DA no matter which way it goes, should they gain National power then they have to alienate the people of the Cape in order to accommodate the rest of the South Africans, If they don’t gain National power they will push even harder for it which means they will get even more cheap for votes and they will sacrifice us even more aggressively in order to win favour with the rest of the South Africans.

THE NORMAL LOGICAL AND REASONABLE THING TO DO WHEN A RELATIONSHIP HAS BROKEN DOWN IRRETRIEVABLY IS TO SEPARATE BEFORE THE RELATIONSHIP TURNS DESTRUCTIVE.

Soon with your vote the Cape Republic will accomplish secession peacefully and legitimately from just another failing African country called South Africa to flourish as a first-world capitalist non-racial, free, democratic state operating under the rule of Law with no laws or policies that discriminate against any one of its citizens.

Khoi-San are the indigenous people of South Africa but have not been very active in the South African economy.

From yesterday that was set to change as the Khoisan community formed their own chamber of commerce and industry.

At a conference yesterday, leaders of the five main groupings of the Khoi came together to form the chamber, and also agreed that all land claims would be lodged as a single group.

Ruben Richards was unanimously voted as the chamber’s first president and said he would make use of all the skills he acquired while working for the Cape Chamber of Commerce.

“This is a significant moment in the life of the indigenous people of South Africa because up until now we have not been afforded recognition to contribute to our economy.”

He was not shy to say that he was fired from the Cape Chamber for trying to work with excluded people.

“I have been around the Khoi-San and their issues for a while and I am interested to find a way to include them in the economy… many people, including the government, write them off and all I can say is watch this space.”

Richards said he will make sure people in South Africa know that the Khoisan people have more than land issues.

“They are South Africa’s oldest indigenous people and thus my role will embrace both a business and cultural role. It won’t be a political one. The vision for the Khoisan has broadened beyond the narrow confines of land claims.”

Chief of the Nama, John Witbooi, voted as the chairman of the chamber, said the chamber hoped to open offices in Cape Town over the next two weeks.

As an outsider of the fishing industry, I had the opportunity to read the magazine “Fishing Industry news”. 3 Articles by different authors all related to the small scale fisherman and the problems they faced. What intrigued me was that it’s clear that these fisherman of these fishing communities have been abused for not years but decades. I needed to get the story behind the story to see for myself the facts and the reality of the situation these hard working fisherman had to endure. Worldwide its well-known that fishermen have the most dangerous jobs on earth. All of us watched television series like “Deadliest Catch, Hardliners even Wicked Tuna” but I wanted to know our South African fishers facts.

The history books paint a clear history of nearly all the fishing villages or fishing communities and sometimes their struggles for livelihood and fishing methods. History also shows us the way how these fishers and their families were treated by the communities where they resided even fishing communities that were wholly removed and scattered to other places by state laws at the time. Although painful but let’s look deeper and mention the views of the fishers themselves. As promised I will not name the fishers (fisherman), as they fear retribution as this is a clear reality as the reader shall note in this article.

To mention a clear fact is that the issue of relocating fishers from their homes took a back stage view related to the current fears of the present and future these fishers will have to endure. When I related to racism and how this affect their lives, it’s clear that the fishers never had this threat hanging over them as now and the future.

The more I interview the local fishers of different communities it’s apparent that most have the same problems, but these problems and issues is a reality that remind me of a ticking time bomb. Although I have to remind me continuously that the issue is the small scale fishers but the reality is that there are so many avenues flowing towards, between and even outwards related to the fishery. I now note the reference of the article and experience “the name game”. Time and again fishers told me DAFF have a slogan “divide and conquer” and this now seems a reality to me. I would have imagined an fisher is a person who go to sea, who fishes or harvest marine resources to sustain that persons livelihood. Why then all the different labels to the fishers. Commercial fisher, Nearshore fisher, traditional fisher, small scale fisher, recreational fisher and subsistence fisher? How can one family members comprise of all the above labelling? If this is meant to be an rainbow nation fisher family then DAFF clearly have no clue of the ways the fishing policies is destroying fishing communities, families and fishing traditions. Fishing in a family is an historical proven tradition, whereas the whole family are engaged in many ways to fishing and related fishing operations. In short, men harvest and women clean and sell.

Please note that both men and women also harvest, clean, add value, sell or market the fish or fish products. Most notably is the saying which to me is fair and just is “jy kanie ‘n visserman maak nie, ‘n visserman word gebore met sout in sy are” meaning fishers are born into the tradition by family and also noted by marriage into an fisher family. Let me define for the reader the differences of the labels as explained by the fishers.

“Commercial Fisher” This is a person who registered a company or other legal entity and received a quota by DAFF. (the father, sole owner fishing cc, lobster quota holder 8tons, caught by traps any depth).

“Nearshore fisher” A person or legal entity registered who was granted an nearshore lobster quota by DAFF. (the mother, as individual granted 800kg lobster quota caught by ring nets any depths).

“Traditional fisher” a person or legal entity granted a line fishing right for his vessel according the SAMSA (South African Marine Safety Authority regulations) crew on board limit. Note this person or legal entity mat also be an “nearshore lobster” or “abalone commercial” right holder. (the oldest son, boat 8 crew line fish right and 400kg abalone and 350kg lobster right. For line fishing he may use any person as crew even if the person is not an active fisher, abalone he employs a registered diver for the 3 days to harvest the allocation, catch the lobster with ring nets any depth) “small scale fisher” a person currently (IR interim relief) granted lobster, line fishing, white mussel and red bait allocations under a community permit controlled by DAFF appointed person (caretaker).

The caretaker decides who must harvest the lobster and to whom the catch is sold. The caretaker decides which vessels to register so the fisher can fish line fish. (110kg lobster per person, ring nets any depth, line fish limited to recreational limits except hottentot, yellowtail and snoek which may be sold others not) 99% of the fishers claimed this is disastrous as the last two years they had to revert back to poaching to sustain themselves. (the other son, not allowed to register or use his own boat for harvesting his allocations, must sit at home as he are not allowed a copy of the permit and accept whatever the caretaker give him for his lobster that was caught and sold by someone in the commercial sector.) “subsistence fisher” a person who harvest resources and use this for own consumption, actually a farce as resources harvested are sold even bartered.

“Recreational fisher” a person whose means to sustain themselves by other income outside the fishing industry, who purchase a permit at the post office to catch or harvest limited resources for personal use only. (most fishers think this is laughable as certain species is targeted explicitly for sale by recreational fishers. Then also fishers use this permit since age 12 to sustain income as DAFF only accept the age of an fisher as 18 years.) ( the youngest son 17 years).

As you can note in the above scenario of the differences created by the label game, the reality actually is simple. Everyone have access to lobster but are limited in quantity or fishing method (trap or ring net), but the fishing area is exactly the same. You won’t find a fisher that can confirm otherwise. Intriguing was the issue related the difference of using traps and ring nets. Explained to me by the fishers, is that this was a means of manipulation used by DAFF under pressure from the big fishing companies. In short, the old days everyone used ring nets. Big boats (mother) carried or towed small boats that used ring nets, and the small boats delivered the catch to the big boats. “hen en kuikens”. Big companies then found that using traps had two major advantages. The first was that the quality of the lobster landed increased dramatically, thus better yield, better price and best income. The second was that the labour force needed was cut down to 10%, thus minimum expenses for wages. Some fishers told me that in the nineties they were granted lobster rights and used their boats and traps, but then DAFF informed them they may not use traps anymore. The only reason given then was that the boats used are too small to use traps, but these fishers have done so for 7 years already. So big companies signed up all these small quotas and harvested the lobster with traps. If ring nets are to blame for poor quality lobster catches landed ie. Broken legs and the destruction of the seabed then why not allow all lobster fishers the right to use traps similar to fishers worldwide. The excuse that traps is used only offshore is a farce as fishers experience the use of traps inshore so vast that they have no place to set their ring nets!

The findings of an round table discussion relating to the above labelling is that clearly there should only be two “labels” that of an commercial fisher and that of an recreational fisher. An commercial fisher harvest, sell and even use for own consumption from the resources, whilst recreational is permitted only own consumption.

Let’s examine the recreational fisher and the regulations. Every citizen of South Africa are entitled to harvest marine resources for own consumption albeit this is regulated by laws. Regulation clearly allows the permit holder 10 fish per person per day. The problem here arise from species that directly impact on the fishers livelihoods like tuna, yellowtail and snoek.

Nearly all fishers in the communities state that recreational fishers openly sells their catches and especially snoek and yellowtail overfish their limits. Can you eat 10 of these fish per day? If you keep and freeze for later use then how big is your freezer? Maybe the powers that be should limit species reasonably and add regulations of quantity by mass to be in possession of. Like lobster 4 per day but total of 16 at home, why not 50kg of fish at home? The excuse some recreational fishers use to boast, that the cost of their sport, warrant them to sell their catch is ridiculous especially in the tuna fishery. Surely if you practise any sport you bear the costs yourself or get another sport that you can afford. I don’t hear of a golfer who bought a golf caddy now claim to sell his fish to cover costs, why then a person who bought a boat for their recreational or sport purposes? I was astonished to be shown by the fishers that fishing charter companies actually were granted commercial tuna rights. Thus a loophole is created for the recreational to actually sell his fish to cover his costs of his sport or the charter company is actually paid twice by the sport fisher, once to charter the vessel and then the income of the catch.

The interim relief fishery (IR) now in its 10th year was explained to me as the best example of corruption, discrimination, racism, political favouritism and mismanagement in DAFF. In short, thousand fishers won an Equality court case to be recognised and the government was forced to give these fishers relief until the small scale fishers policy is implemented.

Most fishers agree that the first 4 years of this relief granted was helpful as each year improved on the previous. Then the manipulators and greed mongers got involved as they have seen the opportunity to a get rich quick scheme. Until year 7 DAFF used a verified set of criteria on the applications of the fishers and this was well managed by the director at DAFF (Sandile). DAFF under new management ADDG Stevens brought an abrupt halt to the fishing industry as can be seen by the disastrous FRAP 2013 (fishing rights allocation process). In the IR, fishing community leaderships were changed, fishers were ousted and replaced with non-fishers.

All communication from the ground with the department blocked unless this was done through these political appointed community representatives.

Reading emails sent to DAFF from fishers regarding complaints etc and shown the last 3 years of IR fishing regulations, it’s even clear to me that the difference is a reality of non-fishers sitting at DAFF as representing “fisher communities”. These people have no knowledge of the fishing industry or how fishing actually work. The regulations conflict one another and some fishers openly state the recreational permit is better. The representative or “caretaker” now are issued with the permit on behalf of a community with a name list of beneficiaries attached. This caretaker decides who may catch lobster, who to sell it to and what boats to register for fishing. As this caretaker is the one that have to pay you for the lobster, threats is common and a reality and proof of this is shown to me in various communities. Fishers from 12 fishing communities referred me to interview Andries van der Merwe from Gordons Bay. I arranged a meeting and met with him on 4th August 2013.

Arriving at his residence, first glance was that as you would expect of any true fisher, boats in the yard, fish bins stacked, lobster nets getting repaired. Andries looked aggressive like the type that don’t take prisoners, but friendly invited me inside. Asking what I am doing, he explained that on behalf of his fishers he is also busy writing to Noseweek regarding the discrimination against his fishing community. He also shown me that they lodged claims to the public protector and human rights commission.

When I asked him if he weren’t afraid of retribution if I mention his name in the article, he stated that as long as he lived the ocean provided be that legal or illegal and nobody can take the ocean away. “ as long as I can use my hands and feet, I can fish and dive”. Have he received threats?

“ yes, plenty and even now some is actively used against me, DAFF refuse to register our vessels to be used as fishing vessels. My fishers were removed from the IR lists. When they were on the IR lists they were fined R2000 for not attending the caretakers meetings. Some fishers was not even paid a cent for their lobster allocations in IR8 and then removed from the

IR9 lists by the caretaker with DAFF endorsement. I was falsely arrested for fishing, but was not even at sea.”

According to other communities fishers you were a great asset on the IR board (committee) at DAFF when issues and regulations were discussed for the fishers. “ I was representing our fishers until end October 2013, yes each year we learned of our mistakes and improved the regulations etc. so to benefit the fishers at best. See DAFF don’t know the real life we live and how, when, where etc. we catch fish. What is viable and what is not. It’s no use DAFF grant you a fishing right but it’s not viable to harvest that due to restricted regulations or quantum. Chief director Sibuya knew and understood our fishing communities, he once came to visit me at home to get answers to his questions. See that is the way DAFF should work, engage with fishers at ground level before sitting on a high horse and making laws etc.

that will never work. Small examples was the limited resources we had per day, but after showing the facts of viability we amended the regulations to combine the daily limits to harvest all on one day. Even fishing whilst harvesting lobster.”

I noticed that this all changed, if you read the IR8 and IR9 regulations?

“Sandile resigned, Desmond Stevens took over, no more fishers on the DAFF IR board. See those people don’t worry about the other resources on the permit, they only worry about their payment for the lobster not even the harvesting thereof as they modified the regulations that they are able to use commercial fishers. Where did you ever heard a fisher works 8am to 4pm?

You have to phone them if you went fishing, you try phoning them they don’t answer! Look at the joke of the VMS system, this should actually be banned on our vessels as these VMS drain our batteries and we could be left at sea. Our fishers are not financial stable to pay for the permit, but DAFF think that we can afford VMS with contracts! Why don’t DAFF buy us the vms systems and pay the contracts if they think all of us are criminals and need to be tracked.”

Some fishers mentioned that the recreational permit is better than the IR?

“I got recreational fishing vessel permits for the vessels and all our fishers have recreational fishing permits, some lobster as well. As DAFF refuse to register our vessels as IR vessels the recreational fishing vessel permit is valid.”

Why don’t DAFF register your vessels? It’s even clear to me that you are a fisherman of long standing. “you see before the issue of IR8 communal permit, Desmond Stevens took over DAFF. He tried to convince us at the time to sell all the lobster to some company for R200/kg. Now I have been in this game very long and immediately smelled a rat. As I am outspoken I stated that we will accept the best price and nothing less. As the permit belongs to lots of individual fishers it’s their right to choose who what where as individuals. So just before the season opened I requested from Abongile (acting director in Sandile’s place) when can we collect the permit. He then told me he is waiting for Desmond Stevens to let him know what to do as he (desmond Stevens) is personally deciding our permit. I then went to Desmond Stevens at DAFF to confront him as he refused to answer calls.

Desmond Stevens told me to my face that the permit is to be given to John Pretorius and there is nothing I can do about it. He then threatened me to keep quit or I will never be able to go to sea again. If I go to court he will tie the court up for years until I won’t be financial able to continue. If I tried violence , he is the boss of the MK veterans and they have plenty of guns.”

What did you do then? “ I took some time to rethink, but since then I documented every and all correspondence. When FRAP 2013 became public I started to open my mouth against Desmond Stevens and this is the reason that DAFF to this day refuse to register our vessels. IR8 the vessels were registered in September 2014 only this after the season started 15 November 2013 already. For IR9 they refuse till this day.”

If you should recap all the IR years and summarise the worthy progress made, what would that be? “as I said the first couple years we had to deal with teething problems but by IR7 almost 90% problems were solved. The main issue was that our fishers along the coast was “forced” to use commercial vessels for harvesting their lobster. This meant that the vessel the fisher register for lobster can also be used to fish line fish. So as soon as the lobster is landed these vessels go on fishing without the IR fisher as crew.

You can go and look at DAFF records that pre IR7 we only used our own vessels linked directly to our fishers. Since IR8 under the new representatives commercial vessels and their crew were used.”

You mentioned “representatives” more than one? “ yes, John Pretorius was caught and found guilty of poaching undersize cob and DAFF apparently told him to step down and nominate another representative. He nominated Armien Sameuls a pensioner, but all of us know that is only a front. Look at IR8, with one phone call to DAFF they were allowed to legally poach 170kg lobster.” “look at the rights he have and don’t be fooled because the right holder is a different name. Line fish right on the vessel Nikita (right by name Malcolm Baard works for municipality) line fish right on vessel Lindiwe ( right by name Ismail Trenose now a fisherman for 5 years) 2 nearshore lobster rights (his wife and her friend). Everyone knows he owns the vessels and dozens of houses and business in town with government contracts.”

I see all your documents, constitution of the association, membership applications, memberships etc., but you say DAFF refuse to acknowledge the fishing community of Gordons Bay? “ Yes, they refuse to acknowledge us even the fishing village of Sir Lowry’s Pass. As you can see in our correspondence Directors Abongile and Craig refuse us our own entity and force us to be under the non-fishers.”

Why do you say non-fishers? “ here is the lists since IR1 to IR9. The IR verification criteria was used each year till IR7 as you can see in the minutes of the meeting chaired by Director Sibuya from DAFF at the time. I personally submitted our names for IR8 as you can see on the confirmation from Abongile we did this twice. John Pretorius and Desmond Stevens (they are house friends) then came about this IR8 list. Notice all the fishers removed and replaced with non-fishers. If you look at IR9 list notice all the fishers that was removed is also from our association but is those that complained of not getting their lobster payments for IR8. The text in red is the reasons we submitted to DAFF why that individual do not qualify to be on the IR list.”

Then more than 80% do not qualify? “ yes and DAFF refuse to do anything whilst our real fishers struggle to put food on the table. Go to DAFF and ask them for those fishers catch returns and there will be nothing as they never go to sea. Look at last week, they called a meeting, but as usual only certain people are invited, they had to postpone as they could not reach a quorum as the people were at work and this is work not in the fishing industry”

Can I attend this meeting? “ I think you will be ousted if they realize what u are doing. I don’t mind and if you go avoid me. You can talk to me afterwards.”

It’s clear to me, that here is a fisherman of traditional historical heritage, that fights for rights of the fishers in his community. That DAFF is turning a blind eye to the harm their actions is causing the fishers.

This year DAFF have called three meetings with Mr. van der Merwe to try and resolve these conflicts but all these meetings was postponed and never took place. Twice this meetings was cancelled when Mr. van der Merwe and his committee was already at DAFF offices. This all cancelled because John Pretorius said so. Surely an individual cannot order a governmental department to his whims unless this is political and in this case I think racial motivated?

I attended the meeting, held at an Islamic place of worship, side hall.

Twice I was nearly caught when the “chairman” John Pretorius counted us, as I was seated between the observers on the side. The chairman requested all to sign the “attendance form”. I brushed past people just to take a glimpse at the form and as I was told it was a blank form. The meeting was opened by a minute of silence. A fisher put his hand up and informed that “Boetie Gansbaai” is still at the airport and will be late or won’t make the meeting in time. Another fisher said his father is in hospital and cannot come to the meeting. Andries told the meeting that Boetie Fourie and Boetie Erwee both cannot be in attendance as both did not receive messages and Boetie Fourie is at airport and Boetie Erwee at sea returning only on Saturday late. John said the only excuse he accept is if the person contact “Aziz”. “Kehl” have till days end the next day to furnace an hospital notice. Andries objected to this procedure and said this must reflect in the minutes.

Seated again John stated that the meeting was held as urgent matter as DAFF requested him to submit the minutes and requests to them by 18 August. This include the minutes of the meeting, the attendance register, the signed name list of all IR9 fishers to be on the IR10 list and all to sign a mandate for the IR10 “permit caretaker”. The IR fishers then all went to go sign again, another blank paper. Then John said 8 names is missing and needed replacement. Andries objected as fishers cannot be forced to attend meetings they don’t believe in or send proxy via someone else attending. John said the only proxy he accept is if it’s given to “Aziz”. Andries said that DAFF have the final say in the matter to whom John replied that everyone knows what he say to DAFF is what they do as can be seen the last two years. Andries said he want both comments to reflect in the minutes. John then said there are 5 open spaces left to fill. Andries objected and asked that two minutes ago there were 8 spaces now only 5? 3 persons was deceased and 5 not in attendance? John conferred with “Aziz” and “Armien” and then said only 4 spaces remain. Andries objected again and asked what happened in the last minute did someone came alive again?

John said that its time to verify 4 persons for the openings. Andries said that the verification criteria must be used and all in the hall must be verified as the meeting notice clearly indicated only one point and that was verification of fishers for IR10. Some fishers clapped hands but John stopped them and stated he decides the criteria and everyone can suggest criteria. The people already on the list need not to be verified. Andries said but then this is all wrong as how can you reject one but allow another fitting the same criteria. John said he will use new criteria and the floor mentioned, age, fishing and fish cleaner to be added as criteria. A woman stood up and stated she are number 14 on the list that John promised when they made him chairman two years ago and she is now next to fill a space.

John said that their committee made that decision and the committee decided to scrap that. He asked her if she fishes or clean fish. She said no to both and on the comment that she is old age John told her to leave the hall.

Andries said that how can you decide to reject fishers and replace them with non-fishers, then when the another non-fisher want the space as you promised her avoid her but allow others to remain. Andries said 80% of all in this hall does not fit the criteria and should be replaced with the real fishers.

Andries said he nominate his son as he fits all the criteria. John said he is not present and cannot be nominated. A fisher remarked towards John “wa kom jy vandaan wa het jy visgevang jy pas nie eers in die criteria nie” to which lots started clapping their hands. John said he will not tolerated outbursts and those will be forced to leave the meeting. Upon the fishers laughed. Andries then said who notified all the other people to attend to come and be nominated as our notices of the meeting never suggested this.

John gave no answer. John said those on the list remain and now those that want the spaces must be nominated and elected by the meeting. 4 fishers was then elected from about 20 sitting close to me. Clearly the fishers in attendance was now upset. John requested nominations for caretaker and all must sign mandate for that. Andries said he have no issue whoever the caretaker will be but he wants the criteria and job description outlined as he will not give a mandate for someone who refuse to register fishing vessels , withhold permits and not let fishers fish. John said that is not for discussion and told “Aziz” not to wrote Andries comments in the minutes. Andries and some fishers left the meeting clearly upset. As the fisher next to me stated “ kyk hulle gaan nou weer vir John en Armien kies” it’s what happened. In the confusion I left the meeting. Outside I chatted to a fisher from Sir Lowry’s Pass and clearly not very happy.

This here is a clear-cut case where DAFF is co-accomplice in the destruction of the fishers livelihood. It’s clear that to remain in “power” anyone who goes against the chairman/ caretaker is ousted and replaced with a word to DAFF. Even transgressions of the MRLA is not applicable to the representative/caretaker as John and the other fisher remains on the list.

Listening to the fishers it’s clear that they only keep quiet as they could really lose the lobster income and this has been shown to them as a reality.

When I met with Andries again he laughed when he saw me at the gate. I asked why and he said that could I not see the jokers at the meeting. I told him that it was clear to me that the people is afraid to voice their opinions and it’s clear that most of the people at the meeting is not fishers but placed there to upheld John in power. I asked him what now and he replied the struggle continuous and will try to keep this peaceful but certain fishers is primed to go the physical route hence forth. He will write to the newly appointed DDG and then take matters from there.

How can DAFF allow this happening in fishing communities? Surely DAFF as an governmental department must adhere to our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

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